While the player is in Battle Through the Heavens, the system is in The Great Ruler.

Chapter 151 Arrival in Zhongzhou, Half-Step Spirit Realm!
Soon after,

The midday sun shone down on the area in front of Demon Flame Valley, turning the open space outside the valley golden. A dense crowd had gathered there, all eyes fixed on the three figures at the valley entrance.

"Just send it here."

Lu Yu turned to the people seeing him off and said, his gaze sweeping over Cai Lin, Qing Lin, Xiao Yan and the others, a gentle smile on his lips.

To his left, Little Fairy Doctor, in a purple dress that fluttered in the wind, her face partially obscured by the thin veil, her delicate jawline outlining her exquisite features. A purple ribbon wrapped around her slender waist further accentuated her graceful figure.

On the right, Zi Yan was dressed in a tight-fitting outfit, her long purple hair tied into a ponytail, shining brightly in the sunlight, and her bright eyes were full of anticipation.

"Brother Yan."

Lu Yu patted Xiao Yan's shoulder heavily, his eyes full of expectation, "See you in Zhongzhou. With your talent, I believe you will definitely impress everyone then."

Xiao Yan grinned, revealing his signature sunny smile: "Don't worry, Brother Lu, I'll come to Zhongzhou to find you as soon as I've finished dealing with things here."

He blinked and lowered his voice, saying, "Maybe I can give you a surprise later."

Now, after his Burning Technique has successively devoured the Wind Fury Dragon Flame, Illusionary Gold Flame, Earth Core Flame, and Yang Flame, it has advanced to the Earth Rank. With the added support of the spiritual veins in his body, it will surely surprise Brother Lu.

Lu Yu chuckled upon hearing this: "You little rascal..."

Before he could finish speaking, Xiao Yan interrupted him.

"By the way, Brother Lu."

Xiao Yan suddenly remembered something, took out a jade box from his storage ring, and explained, "These are a few 'Fire Spirit Pills' that I recently refined. You might find them useful when you're traveling."

Lu Yu took the jade box and felt the warmth emanating from it. He couldn't help but raise an eyebrow: "A sixth-grade pill? It seems your alchemy skills have improved again."

"That's natural!"

Xiao Yan proudly raised his chin and said confidently, "Once we get to Zhongzhou, I'll definitely open the eyes of those so-called alchemists."

The two exchanged a smile and bumped fists in tacit agreement.

Then, Lu Yu turned to Cai Lin and took out a puppet that shimmered with silver light from his storage ring. The puppet, a five-star Dou Zong level puppet, had runes flowing across its surface and exuded a powerful aura.

"I'll leave this earth demon puppet to you to guard the Spirit Treasure Pavilion. It only needs a drop of essence blood containing a soul imprint to recognize and control it. If there's a shortage of manpower in the pavilion while I'm away, it can handle many affairs on my behalf."

He paused briefly before continuing, "In addition, the secret chamber also contains the corpses of four peak-level Dou Zong magical beasts. These materials are precious, and you are in charge of deciding how to use them."

Cai Lin put away the puppet, looked up at Lu Yu, and with her red lips slightly parted, she uttered only four words of advice: "Go early and come back early."

Lu Yu nodded, said goodbye, and then turned and left with the two women.

……

Several days later, in the Sky-Supporting Mountains, thousands of miles away from the Black Corner Region.

Looking into the distance, the outline of a magnificent city gradually becomes clear, appearing and disappearing amidst the lush peaks.

"That's Tianya City?"

Zi Yan tiptoed, her long purple hair, reaching her waist, swaying gently in the wind. She had shed her childishness and grown into a graceful young woman, her figure accentuated by a black outfit.

She excitedly tugged at Lu Yu's sleeve: "I heard that the spatial wormhole here can lead directly to Zhongzhou?"

The Fairy Doctor gently raised her hand and pulled down her veil slightly, revealing a stunningly beautiful face: "It is said that the wormhole here has been operating stably for hundreds of years, and it is considered the closest spatial wormhole to the Black Corner Region."

Looking at the majestic city skyline in the distance, Lu Yu's eyes flashed with anticipation. He said, "Let's go. Our journey through Central China begins here."

As the only city within a thousand miles with a spatial wormhole, Tianya City's prosperity far exceeded Lu Yu and his companions' expectations.

Upon entering the city, the bustling atmosphere of the marketplace immediately hits you. The wide streets are teeming with people, lined with shops on both sides, and the cries of vendors rise and fall.

Everywhere you look, you can see powerful warriors leading groups of Dou Wang (Battle King) warriors, and occasionally you can see powerful warriors of Dou Huang (Battle Emperor) level hurrying by. Pedestrians come and go in an endless stream, and the whole city is filled with a busy and crowded atmosphere.

Without hesitation, the three headed straight for the city center after finding out the location of the spatial wormhole. Soon, a vast black stone plaza came into view.

The entire plaza was paved with hard obsidian, exuding a cold and heavy aura. At this moment, squads of fully armed guards were patrolling back and forth in the plaza, their sharp eyes constantly scanning the surroundings.

The most eye-catching feature is the high platform in the center of the square. A huge black spatial vortex, about ten zhang in diameter, is slowly rotating, with dense spatial energy constantly overflowing from the vortex, forming visible spatial ripples around it.

Space wormhole!

At this moment, as Lu Yu and his companions arrived, a squad of guards clad in silver armor immediately stepped forward to greet them. The head guard captain clasped his hands in a respectful salute and politely inquired, "Do the three distinguished guests wish to borrow the spatial wormhole?"

Seeing Lu Yu nod, the captain of the guards turned and gestured to his men: "Go and invite Elder Luo Gu immediately!"

Before long, an elderly man dressed in a magnificent brocade robe strode over; he was none other than the Luo family elder in charge of managing the spatial wormhole. His gaze swept over the three of them, and a hint of amazement flashed in his eyes, especially when he saw Little Fairy Doctor and Zi Yan.

"Greetings to the three of you. I am Luo Gu of the Luo family. My Luo family is the master of this spatial wormhole."

"Three distinguished guests have come from afar; surely they are on their way to Zhongzhou?"

Elder Luo Gu smiled amiably, stroking his beard as he said, "To traverse a spatial wormhole, one needs to travel on a specially designed spaceship. I wonder if the three of you are prepared? I happen to have a top-quality one here..."

Upon hearing this, Lu Yu shook his head and said, "I wonder what Elder Luo recommends?"

Upon hearing this, Luo Gu immediately signaled his attendant to bring over an exquisite silver boat: "Space ships are divided into nine levels, this one is level three, and it costs 1.2 million gold coins."

Upon hearing this, Lu Yu raised an eyebrow and said, "A level three spaceship is considered top-tier? Aren't there any higher-quality ones?"

Elder Luo Gu looked slightly embarrassed, but then put on a smile and said, "Your Excellency is indeed very knowledgeable. I do have a Level 5 spaceship here, priced at 3.5 million gold coins."

Upon hearing this, Lu Yu calmly took out an exquisite jade box from his storage ring: "I wonder if this fifth-grade peak Purple Jade Breakthrough Pill can be used as payment?"

Upon hearing this, Elder Luo Gu's eyes lit up. He took the jade box with both hands and said, "Could it be the newly launched Purple Jade Breakthrough Pill from the Spirit Treasure Pavilion? It's said that this pill can help a Dou Ling expert break through two stars in a row, and it's been quite popular among Dou Ling experts lately..."

He carefully opened the jade box, and a refreshing medicinal fragrance immediately filled the air. The surface of the pill was covered with flowing purple cloud patterns, and it shimmered with a lustrous sheen under the light.

"What a fine pill!" Luo Gu couldn't help but exclaim, "Lingbao Pavilion truly lives up to its reputation as the newly emerging major force in alchemy in the Black Corner Region. Their pill-refining techniques are truly exceptional."

After carefully examining the pill, he stroked his beard and smiled, "This pill is currently extremely rare on the market, with a market value of about three to four million gold coins. I am willing to buy it at the highest price and add another 500,000 gold coins for you. As for the teleportation fee, consider it a friendly gesture and I will waive it."

Lu Yu smiled calmly and said, "That's excellent."

Before long, the deal was struck. Luo Gu personally escorted the three to the entrance of the wormhole and then handed them a token: "This is my Luo family's VIP pass. When you come again in the future, you will enjoy many conveniences."

Lu Yu put away the token and boarded the spaceship with Little Fairy Doctor and Zi Yan. With a flash of dazzling silver light, the three figures gradually disappeared into the spatial wormhole.

……

Half a month later,

Zhongzhou, Northern Territory.

On the vast, verdant plain, a plaza paved with greyish-white pebbles stands out. In the center of the plaza, countless silver runes emit a faint glow, subtly revealing spatial fluctuations.

Suddenly, a fierce wind swept across the peaceful plaza. The spatial runes in the center burst forth with dazzling silver light, and a spatial vortex several meters in diameter appeared out of thin air. A gleaming silver spaceship shot out from it, rapidly shrinking as it landed.

Three figures landed gracefully; they were Lu Yu, Little Fairy Doctor, and Zi Yan.

"Is this the Central Plains?"

Zi Yan looked around curiously, her long purple hair fluttering in the wind.

Lu Yu took a deep breath, feeling the rich energy of heaven and earth around him, and couldn't help but exclaim, "As expected of Zhongzhou, the energy concentration here is far superior to that of the Northwest Continent."

Just as the three were looking around, a young maid in a light blue dress hurried over, gave a graceful bow, and said, "Are you three distinguished guests new to Zhongzhou? I am a guide from Tianyuan City..."

"Lead the way." Before she could finish speaking, Lu Yu casually tossed her a jade medicine bottle.

The maid hurriedly took the bottle, uncorked it, and saw a smooth, jade-like third-grade pill inside. She was immediately overjoyed: "Honored guest, this way please!"

She eagerly stepped aside to lead the way, the silver bells at her waist jingling with each step. "What kind of service do you three need? This servant knows every corner of Tianyuan City very well."

"Take us to buy a detailed map of Zhongzhou first."

Lu Yu said calmly, his gaze sweeping over the bustling street, and added, "Then find a quiet place to stay. It should ideally have a private courtyard and a secluded environment."

"My slave understands!"

The maid nodded repeatedly and said respectfully, "The most detailed 'Map of Central Plains' in the city costs fifty thousand gold coins, but for our distinguished guest..."

Lu Yu waved his hand to indicate that it was alright. Under the guidance of the maid, the three quickly purchased a detailed map of Zhongzhou and then checked into an elegant inn.

……

Several days later, in the quiet room of the inn.

Lu Yu sat cross-legged, his hands forming a mudra, a faint spiritual fluctuation swirling around him.

Upon introspection, a phantom image of a jet-black longsword slowly emerged in his mind, with dark flames dancing on its blade. Each flash was like thousands of red-hot steel needles piercing his soul, drawing away a large amount of his soul power.

"Slaying the Soul and Focusing the Spirit, Sword Intent Reaching Profound Truth..."

As the incantation was silently recited, the black longsword flickered continuously, finally reaching a critical point where it suddenly burst forth with a blinding light, then rapidly contracted until it condensed to its absolute limit—

"boom!"

A dark aura suddenly burst forth from the sword, and the solid sword shadow instantly became ethereal.

Lu Yu was prepared for this and immediately swallowed a Soul Nourishing Pill. The pill dissolved instantly upon entering his stomach, transforming into pure medicinal power that surged into his mind and was frantically devoured by the ethereal longsword.

The sword shadows, like ravenous beasts, greedily absorbed the medicinal power, and the originally illusory form solidified again, even more profound than before, while the ghostly flames dancing on the sword's edge became even more intense.

This is the cultivation method of the Soul-Slaying Sword Scripture. By constantly consuming soul power to condense sword light, and then scattering and reassembling it, in this process of destruction and reconstruction, not only does the total amount of soul power increase, but the control of soul power also becomes more and more exquisite, and even the lethality of the sword light is subtly improved.

Several hours later—

"Zheng!"

A clear and melodious sword cry echoed in his mind. The black longsword solidified and stabilized again, its blade shimmering with a chilling light that captivated the soul, and the soul fluctuations it emitted were several times stronger than before!
"Half-step into the Spirit Realm, achieved!"

Lu Yu slowly opened his eyes, a flash of sword light appearing in them. He sensed the increasingly solid black longsword in his mind, and a smile involuntarily appeared on his lips.

The phantom of Venerable Heavenly Fire appeared at the opportune moment, praising, "Congratulations, Pavilion Master! To have reached the half-step Spirit Realm at the age of eighteen, Pavilion Master's breakthrough to the eighth-grade alchemist is just around the corner!"

Lu Yu shook his head and said, "Senior, you flatter me. If I hadn't cultivated a similar soul technique before and laid a foundation, I wouldn't have been able to break through in just two months."

He pondered for a moment, "At this rate, if I concentrate on cultivation for another three months, I should be able to break through to the Spirit Realm."

After a pause, he asked again, "How is your swordsmanship training, senior?"

Upon hearing this, Venerable Tianhuo looked slightly embarrassed and coughed lightly: "I have never been involved in the sword path before, and I still need time to comprehend it. If I want to recover to the Spirit Realm, it will probably take another six months."

"Half a year?"

Lu Yu nodded thoughtfully, "It's already very fast. In the next few days, I will refine a few more pills to nourish your soul, which may shorten the time even further."

"However, during this period of cultivating the Soul-Slaying Sword Scripture, the Soul-Nourishing Pills have been almost used up. I will go to the pharmacy tomorrow to check."

"Speaking of which, the Northern Region of Zhongzhou is within the sphere of influence of the Fenglei Pavilion. As one of the Four Pavilions, I wonder if the Fenglei Pavilion has any medicinal materials for the Bone-Growing and Blood-Melting Pill."

The phantom of Venerable Heavenly Fire swayed slightly in the candlelight. Upon hearing this, he frowned: "Wind and Thunder Pavilion?"

He stroked his illusory beard and pondered, "Since it enjoys such a great reputation in Zhongzhou, it must be quite formidable. With the Pavilion Master's current strength, it wouldn't hurt to go and take a look..."

A glint of light flashed in Lu Yu's eyes as he said, "Senior is absolutely right. We can take this opportunity to replenish the ingredients for the Soul Nourishing Pill and to inquire about the Bone Regeneration and Blood Fusion Pill."

Venerable Tianhuo nodded slightly and then said, "However, the Wind and Thunder Pavilion is, after all, a major sect in the Central Plains with strict rules. Pavilion Master, you should be cautious on your trip."

Lu Yu nodded and said, "What you say is absolutely right, senior. Before I leave, I would like to refine a few more batches of pills in case of emergency."

"That's how it should be."

Venerable Tianhuo floated back into the ring and said, "I also need to hurry up and comprehend the sword scripture, so as not to hold back the Pavilion Master."

A night breeze swept through the window, causing the candlelight to flicker. Lu Yu gazed at the distant starry sky and murmured, "Fenglei Pavilion... I wonder if we can find those three medicinal herbs..."

(End of this chapter)